One the most common questions I see posted on babywearing forums and Facebook groups is “Can I use a sling after a caesarean section?” and the answer is quite simple, yes in most cases. Despite what women have probably planned and hoped for 1 in 4 of babies born in the United Kingdom in 2012 were delivered by Caesarean section. Therefore there are many mums who potentially want to use a sling to carry their baby who are now scared they can’t do so.Firstly, I am not a medical practitioner, I am a babywearing consultant and sling librarian who has worked with many mums who have had a caesarean section and helped them to find ways to carry their babies comfortably and safely.If you are in any doubt you must consult your midwife or General Practitioner. The key to carrying after a caesarean section is to wear baby nice and high and ensure sling is tight but avoiding the woman’s scar. Incidentally the tight and high rule applies to mums who have had a vaginal delivery too and simply having a vaginal delivery does not mean you are necessarily ready to carry immediately either. The amount of time post-delivery where women will feel comfortable carrying will vary from mother to mother and there is no ‘set’ time from when it is safe to carry.There is no right or wrong sling to use after a caesarean section. In all cases care should be used and it is beneficial to select those which do not have structured waist bands which naturally sit lower on the mothers’ abdominal muscles and can place pressure on their stomach and scar. Slings which experience has shown are suitable for using after a caesarean section include ring slings, wraps (woven or stretchy) and even carriers such as the Connecta Baby Carrier. The benefit of these is that you are able to keep the sling away from the scar tissue and stitches.Using a sling or carrier can play a crucial role in allowing a mother to regain her strength and posture after the birth. The key is to listen to your body and to build up the amount of carrying you do. Your body will develop muscle strength and get used to carrying your baby. Do not assume you will be able to carry for hours straight away. Your postnatal body will need time to adjust and remember you will still have increased levels of Relaxain in your system, especially if you are breastfeeding.In the first 6-8 weeks all women post-delivery are not advised to undertake physical activity until they have had their 6/8 week check from their GP. This does not mean that women should be confined to the house and using a sling or carrier allows them to undertake gentle exercise such as walking. This will help woman to start building up muscles again. Time and care should be used when placing baby in the sling to ensure the mother engages her pelvic floor and core muscles. This is particularly important for women who have had a caesarean section as they are advised against carrying anything heavier than their baby. This therefore means they should not lift car seats or heavy travel systems and prams. The use of a sling for skin to skin contact can be beneficial in helping mothers to bond with their babies and help increase breast milk production both which can be hindered by caesarean deliveries. Using a sling allows them to get out and start to socialise and help with mental wellbeing and help reduce risk of post natal depression. If you want to carry and are unsure of the most comfortable way to do so it is worth having a consultation with a babywearing consultant or trip to a sling library. The knowledge and experience they have gained will help you find carries which are comfortable. Remember there is no date by which you must have started carrying. You should only begin using a sling when you feel comfortable, do not rush your body. If you want your baby to get used to being carried in a sling ask your partner, grandparent or even a friend to carry them for you.

This article was originally published in Issue 4 of Close Enough to Kiss magazine and permission to reprint here has been given by the publishers, Close Enough to Kiss, and author, Rachel Coy.

I have been following the development of Shire Slings since they mysteriously started following me on Twitter in September 2012. With the tagline "woven in the heart of the Shire" I knew they were something to keep an eye on but knew little about them. It was not until January 2014 when a post appeared on Natural Mamas asking for testers that I found out more, I duely jumped at the chance and was not disappointed.I was sent a Size 6 Russian Dolls design wrap in the petrol and apple colour way. This wrap is 100% cotton. I was instantly struck by the vibrancy of the colours and was excited to play. I was only the second tester on this wraps route so it was not broken in when it arrived with me.

The attention to detail by Shire Slings is one of the main things which Ioved about this wrap. The clearly different colour top and bottom rails mean it is excellent for teaching with (feel Yolanda's consultancy background helps). The black middle marker (with their logo) was clear to spot. The aspect which I liked the most was the way in which the Shire Slings logo had been woven into the design, both on its own and as part of the dolls decoration. Touches like this show a company who is proud of their product.

My wrappee and joint tester is now 2 years old (still no idea how that happened) and our wrapping and babywearing days are drawing to a close. Isaac mug prefers to walk these days than go on mummy's back. But there was something about this wrap which even grabbed his attention. He sat and watched it go around the washing machine for a full cycle when we washed it (after speaking with Yolanda) and stood next to ironing board as I ironed it, so he was happy when he got to go up! Isaac is currently weighing in at 13.1 kg (28lb 8oz) and 85cm tall. I don't usually know his exact measurements but trip to outpatients meant he got weighed and measured this week. He also like to wriggle a lot and pretend to fly or dance when on my back so any carrier needs to stand up to his fidgeting. This wrap succeeded and was extremely comfortable. These days we primarly back carry and opted to use it for a Double Hammock and Back Wrap Cross Carry with chest belt. In both carries it was secure and supportive. Although not fully broken in I was able to use push pull method of tightening to get an extremely supportive carry. The passes slid nicely over one and other and it had just the right amount of grip. I didn't test it with single layer carries so can't comment on how supportive it is for toddlers in these. My close friend and sling library helper, Sharon, also liked it. Like me the colour attracted her. Baby B is 13 months old but a dinky dot but as you can see it suited them both nicely.

I found that after washing the wrap I had it measured 490 x 69cm, so a long size 6 but felt it wrapped more like a true size 6. The width of wrap meant that it was easy enough for Isaac five arms out if he wished but that there was plenty of fabric to create a deep seat and support his back.

I really enjoyed playing with this wrap and was glad that we got the chance. I was oy just a lite bit sad packaging it up and posting it off to its next stop. I loved using it and getting my hands on a Shire Sling. This big girl definitely still likes to play with dolls. Finally congratulations to Yolanda on making a fabulous product which lived up to expectations and which shows that England remains a hot bed of fabric production and weaving.

"The single most important child rearing practice to be adopted for the development of emotional and social healthy infants and children is to carry the infant on the body of the caretaker all day long” James Prescott, 1996 The term ‘Babywearing’ was coined by American paediatrician Dr Sears. It means the act of keeping your baby close in a sling in order to be responsive and reactive to their needs and is one of the key elements of ‘Attachment Parenting’. The age of the baby being carried doesn’t really matter, with slings suitable from premature infant to pre-schooler and beyond, the practice could be referred to ‘child wearing’ or simply carrying. This article has sought to bring together the available (and accessible) academic research and a number of case studies to provide a summary of the benefits adoptive parents and children can gain by being worn in a sling or carrier.

There are several benefits of carrying a child in a sling or carrier. These can typically be broken into health benefits and practical benefits but the majority of research has been done between child and biological parents, primarily the mother. However, anybody can sling: parents, grandparents, child minders and nursery nurses, older siblings etc. Therefore carrying your baby or child can be as important to adoptive parents as it is to biological parents, maybe even more so.Bick and Dozier found in 2009 that when mothers engaged with biological and non-biological children that oxytocin production was higher after the interactions with the non-biological children. Oxytocin or ‘the love hormone’ “has been associated with aspects of maternal care, including attachment related thoughts” and there is a “general consensus that oxytocin has positive effects on human social behaviours” and crucially that a “secure attachment in infancy is important for normal psychological development…from which the infant explores the world beyond”, therefore the ability for close contact has for boosting oxytocin production, and as a result attachment, can be seen as an important reason for adoptive parents to carry their children. This was supported by research by Gribble (2007) which concluded that close physical contact via the use of a sling and being responsive to child’s needs the caregiver would help the emotional development of child and promote attachment. The researchers in this study began with the hypothesis that those physiological practices which help post-partum attachments should and could be applied to adopted children.

In addition to the benefits of oxytocin, othercommon reasons for using a sling are that it helps with communication between parent and child, it is more practical in certain situations, can help with weight gain, stabilize baby’s breathing, and even provide longer periods of restful sleep, to name just a few. Not having to wait for accessible buses, use lifts or be restricted to paths that are buggy friendly means that there are occasions when slings have the upper-hand. Many parents who babywear do not do so exclusively and may use a buggy as well.There are lots and lots of different slings out there and with help of a sling library or babywearing consultant you will be able to find one that works for you. I have carriers that can comfortably carry up to 20kg and beyond thus allowing even older children to be carried close to their adopted parent as possible. An appropriately chosen sling or carrier for age and development of child should mean that the weight is distributed evenly and make it comfortable for the wearer. Babywearing is like any form of exercise, so the only limit on how long you carry your child is how you both feel about it. It will take your body a little time to adjust to the extra weight, but this gets easier the more you do it, so little and often is the key when starting to carry older children.

Case Studies

While writing this, I have found that most of the discussion of the benefits of carrying an adoptive child can be found in personal blogs. I have included 4 case studies, to show a variety of experiences and there are links to others in the references. These case studies all demonstrate the way in whichcarrying their adopted children in a sling helped make life easier, either practically or by helping manage or form attachments. I have also provided some personal experiences from running my sling library.The first two case studies from my internet research are fully referenced below, and case studies 3 and 4 area anonymous to protect the identity of the families involved however they are happy for me to share their stories.

Case Study 1A couple adopted a girl of 3 from a Chinese orphanage. On return to the family home the little girl showed a preference for her adoptive father, especially at night. Her adoptive mother opted to use a sling. Within weeks the little girl was beginning to show a preference for her adoptive mother and had formed a strong bond with her.Case Study 2A couple adopted a 4 month old baby from Korea. The baby has special needs, including sensory processing disorder. They found by using a sling the baby quickly developed attachments with both his adoptive mother and father.

Case Study 3As a sling librarian I meet lots of people who want a sling or carrier for their little one. One such family are Mum J and Baby L who came to the library looking for a sling for the practical purpose of being able to go for walks. Baby L was placed with the family from birth, and her start to life was rocky, spending time in SCBU. She was tiny when she came to sling library, and Mum J told me that she want to try a sling “after a few people told me it was the next best thing to being pregnant”. Later on she was able to say that it has “most definitely helped with the attachment we have with Baby L”.

“there does not exist the same closeness with our oldest child, who most people would have said at 3 and a half was too old to be carried”.

"I have become bit evangelistic about the benefits”.

“﻿After a few people told me it was the next best thing to being pregnant.......most definitely helped with the attachment we have with Baby L”.﻿

Case Study 4Iwas lucky enough to have a visit from a Mum and Dad to the sling library. It was only after their 2nd visit that I discovered they were an adoptive family and child 3 had only just been placed. When I asked Mummy A about why she chose to use the sling library she that using slings had helped promote attachment with her baby and that “there does not exist the same closeness with our oldest child, who most people would have said at 3 and a half was too old to be carried”. Amazed that she could carry her older children Mummy A is now allowing her older children the opportunity to be carried to give them “the experience they never had as a youngster”. Mummy A now admits she has become a “bit evangelistic about the benefits” of using a sling and recommends it to all adoptive parents.

Anyone who has every met me will know that I am a big fan of the Connecta Baby Carrier. For me it is the Ronseal of the sling world. That is, it does exactly what it says on the tin. I was told by another local carrying consultant that I have an 'unhealthy obsession with Connectas'. I don't but I believe they are an affordable, easily accessible and supportive wide based carrier. For many it is the entry into the sling world. I have used them for nearly 4 years now. I got my first Connecta in April 2010 and have used both the standard and toddler size ones. I have also retailed them since August 2013.

But and for many this can be the reason they fall out of love with their Connecta, the webbing which is used to tighten the carrier can twist as you pull it through buckles, making the carrier then difficult to adjust further or uncomfortable for wearer. So this blog is dedicated to preventing this twisting for happening. How can you stop it from happening?

The key to tightening a Connecta Baby Carrier is to not over tighten the carrier. Pulling too tight will often be one of the main reasons webbing has twisted. Also important is to ensure you pull slack in webbing in the direction it came from and to keep the upper and lower parts of webbing parallel with each other. Don't be tempted to pull the webbing down or up. This rule should be followed whether wearing baby in the front or back carries. You may also find that holding the buckle straight as you tighten and after you have brought slack to it will help prevent it twisting too.

Lifting babies weight and removing the effect of gravity by lifting from underneath their bottom will help make tightening easier, and thus you won't need to pull as tight. A final tip is to tighten as close to the buckle you are adjusting as possible and pull through a little bit at a time rather than trying to pull all the slack through at once. Try to bring slack as close to the buckle as possible, just in the same way you would bring slack in a slip knot or ring sling carry to the tightening system. The buckles of a Connecta Baby Carrier are just another type of tightening system.

The owner of Connecta has also told me that if twisting happens a lot and continually twisting that you can 'reset' it. To do this soak the webbing in bowl of hot water overnight.

I have noticed that the Solarweave versions of the Connecta Baby Carrier are more prone to webbing twisting and I think (has no proof) that it may be because the carrier itself is lighter and that causes people to feel they need to tighten even more. I hope that explanation helps you stay in love with your Connecta. This video explains the principles I have just described above too. Apologise though, I appear to have edited the first 20 seconds out by accident.

It is hard to explain to people exactly what I do. I was asked by the physiotherapist I saw on Thursday what my job was and I said 'Carrying Consultant'. He'd never heard of one. But I'm not surprised. Not many people have. Over the last few years with the launch of 3 new carrying schools in the UK and courses run by other providers too the number of Babywearing Consultants and peer supporters has increased dramatically. There is now a thriving network of trained and insured men and women out there who can help provide professional support. The art of teaching people to carry their babies was traditionally passed from mother to daughter and so on. It didn't need teaching but as the pram became more popular people began to lose the skills of carrying their children. Babywearing or carrying consultants are trying to bring these skills back to parents. Many people begin learning how to use a sling via YouTube or online communities. This is how I began but I could not learn everything from YouTube or forums. I my own carrying skills were increased after doing my Trageschule UK foundation course in March 2012, and I improve as a sling user with every course I do. But even I still use YouTube. The key with online resources is to know who they are by. Are they trained or are they an enthusiastic amateur?

A recent question in a group I'm a member of got me thinking about my job and whether Babywearing or Carrying Consultants are valued. The question revolved around whether you would book and pay for a consultation, whether a novice or an improver (I regularly see both). Thankfully for those of us who make our living from slings the overwhelming response was positive and that we were value for money.As a carrying consultant I have been trained how to give one to one or group, tailored, fully insured, private support to parents on how to carry their baby comfortably and safely. This support can begin before they have even had their baby and can continue for as long as the parent wishes to carry their baby or child. In these private consultations I use my knowledge of baby’s anatomy and sling structure/style to help parents find a solution to their own individual carrying needs. We discuss any special requirements and past carrying experience and any previous barriers to carrying. The key to a consultation is giving a personalised experience.

Some consultants when they first begin chose not to charge. I choose to charge. I believed by asking for afeeit provides a level of professionalism. I am after all providing a service. I have invested nearly £1000 in training courses. I have annual insurance and professional membership fees. I have a dedicated consultation room with over £7000 worth of stock (wholesale price not retail) available to hire. Running a sling library and consultancy does not just happen. I have childcare costs as I prefer to do consultations without the distraction of my own children. I have not had any grants or loans I have been lucky to receive some slings donated to me by manufacturers and retailers, or sold at discounted prices but the rest I have funded myself and through hire fees.

Private appointments last between 60 and 90 minutes in which I use the information provided by parents to help them find their sling solution. Firstly I demo a technique or carrier, then we mirror each other (using demo dolls) and then I watch while the parents try for themselves. This allows me to identify areas of potential difficulty and provide solutions. We can repeat this process as often as required until parents and their babies are happy. This one to one support is not possible in a free sling library or sling meet session. I can trouble shoot, I spot small errors, I can answer you questions. This doesn't happen via Facebook, forums and YouTube. The support I give doesn't just end when you leave either. I am happy to answer phone calls, emails and facebook messages when you are home. I even offer FaceTime consultations.

I hope in the coming years Carrying or Babywearing Consultants will be as well known as Lactation consultants for example. That when people want help they will know that there is dedicated support out there. In the meantime I am happy knowing that the parents I have helped are happy carrying their babies big and small. That they know where I am if they need me.

What do my past clients say?

The following quotes are taken from my coursework feedback form forSchool of BabywearingConsultancy coursework. Others are taken from the Recommendations box on ourFacebookpage. I hope it gives you a flavour of the benefit of having a private or group consultant can offer to you.

"I would recommend her to people and have done so. She makes the world of slings so much easier to understand and not scary! quite a few of my friends have gone to see her when the library is on and borrowed slings too. She is knowledgeable and i felt confident trying new slings after seeing her.""Rachel is a real natural at this - she has a flair for slings but for working with people at their most vulnerable after having children and making them feel empowered.""We wish we had gone sooner! I am currently pregnant and we will be booking another consultation for advice regarding newborns".

"I can highly recommend Rachel Coy and the North East Sling Library. After a one to one consultation I was able to choose which type of carrier was best for me, and after trying some out was able to buy my own (well, maybe more than one!). The buggy has not been out of the garage since, I am a total convert thanks to Rachel's knowledge of and enthusiasm for babywearing. Even my husband is convinced!"

"Having the opportunity to hire a sling for a month has made such a difference to my family and life. Thank you so much. I even got to hold my husband's hand for the first time in nearly four years. Thank you so much I highly recommend."

Want to book your own consultation? Use the button below to book.Want to speak to me to talk through options? Then ring 0191 3789768 or email meFollow us on Facebook and Twitter.

I am passionate about using slings and carriers. I have run the largest sling library in the North East of England for over 2 years. I am a qualified carrying consultant who has helped hundreds of families to carry their babies big and small safely and comfortably. We have 134 slings and carriers to choose from and that includes 11 Boba family slings: 4 Boba 3g carriers, 2 Boba 4g carriers, 2 Boba Air carriers and 3 Boba wraps. I think you can safely say we love Boba. My youngest spent the first 3 days of his life snuggled up in the navy Boba wrap and enjoyed his first “meal out” at two days old in it.

15 months old and snuggled in tight

Boba have the tag line ‘freedom together’ and that is what the sling library and the slings we stock hope to give parents. The freedom to explore, freedom from reflux symptoms (you can read more about health benefits’ of slings here) and importantly the ability to have your hands free, which if you have older children is a must. Boba are the only manufacturer to exclusively make carriers that only face the parent and this is one of the biggest draws for me. I feel it is the safest way to carry my children. When I first entered the world of babywearing I did so with a high street carrier which I picked up from a nearly new sale. I found it uncomfortable, difficult to put on by myself and my precious bundle never looked comfortable and that carrier lasted approximately 2 months before I binned it.

My precious bundle will turn 4 in January and he still loves being carried and the Boba carrier lets me do that. I can carry him comfortably for hours. I often choose to carry him on my back but when he is poorly and wants to snuggle I still wear him on my front and there is no way I could do if he was facing out because of the effect turning baby (or in his case pre-schooler) has on my spine. You can read in detail why facing baby away from you should be avoided in this fantastic blog post. The reasons it states, as well as the understanding I have of baby’s physiology from my consultant training, mean I never show forward facing out, even in carriers that do have it as an option.

I have lost track of how many parents have come to me saying their baby is too heavy to be carried and nearly every time the reason; baby is facing away from them. Very few babies are too big to be carried, parents simply need to find the right carrier. Others come and say baby is desperate to see the world. This one makes me smile, baby will still see the world but after you have checked it’s safe for them to do so. You are their source of guidance. If they can’t see you, how can they know it is ok to look at. I also know that babies can see, they are amazing at turning their heads. Just look at my little boy looking at daddy (not in a Boba in this case I was playing with a woven wrap), facing me but facing daddy at the same time.

His brother, who spent so much time in the Boba wrap as a newborn is a fiercely independent little boy and since fining his feet much prefers to walk than being carried. That’s why I love the Boba air as it is so small it fits in my coat pocket. Boba have given my family the chance to enjoy Freedom together and I would not be without them in my library or my own stash. I'm so excited to be able to carry my Nephew in a few weeks and show my sister just how easy the 4g is to use.Using a sling should be comfortable for both baby and wearer and safe. It is crucial to check on your baby. Facing out this is difficult to do. You can’t feel them breathing on your chest or neck, there is little head support if they fall asleep. Here in the UK we often refer to the TICKs guidelines which were developed in April 2010. They are perfect for considering your babies safety. IF your sling doesn’t do them, I would not use it. Boba ticks (see the play on words) them all. That’s why I love Boba.

Disclosure: I’m a Boba Ambassador. I participate in Boba events and online conversations, and receive thank you gifts for my participation, but all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

Want to know more about the Boba Ambassador scheme? Click to find out more

16th March 2013 - Newcastle Falcons, Kingston Park

Photo credit - www.northeastbabyandtoddlershow.co.uk

We will be exhibiting at The North East Baby and Toddler show on Saturday 16th March. And we have been lucky enough to be given a pair of tickets to give away. You can find out more about them on twitter @NEbabytoddlers1For your chance to come please leave a comment below and we will use a random number selector to pick the winner. Competiton open until 9pm on Saturday 2nd March.

So the library is getting very busy and popular but Wednesday's don't suit everybody. I have listened to demand and requests and am going to be trialling a Saturday sling session. I hope this will allow parents who work the opportunity to come too. Maybe even a few more daddies.It is my plan that this session will run on the second Saturday of every month starting from Saturday 10th November. Initially the session will run 2-4pm and will again be a first come, first served drop in session. Wednesday sling library sessions will continue to run. Sling hire will be for up to a month and will cost £10. If you wish to hire for only the normal 2 weeks hire will remain the same £5 but you will need to post sling back or arrange a time to drop off. Deposits will remain the same.I will also continue to run private 1:1 appointments. Until December 7th these will be on Tuesday's, Wednesday (not library weeks) and Thursday's. After December 7th I return to work so need to work out when these sessions will run.So if you are interested in slings and carriers, don't know where to start, think your children are too big to be carried or simply want to come along for a chat, a cuppa and a piece of cake. Feel free to come along. The library runs from my home as I have two children who need to be entertained but this means I have a lot of toys for older children/babies to play with too.

Thank you everyone who entered, we had some truely amazing photos submitted. Arms length self portraits are definitely the photo signature of babywearers everywhere. This is my favourite one of us, the twins hedgehog ocah carriers tandem carry.

So we had lots of entries and I have picked my top 3. The winning entry will win a pair of suck pads by Manduca and a book.

In third place we have Emily Gettins who managed to get 2 slings into this image.

In 2nd place we have Kate Lavender with this querky shot. Close enough to kiss anyone?

And in 1st place it is Ann Marie Henderson with this adorable close up. In love how he is holding on to your necklace and how well the colours of this rainbow have been captured. Congratulations.

Finally I want to share a special photo from Emma Lee. She entered it even though it did not meet the terms because it means so much to her. It was taken at the Natural Mamas camp 27-29th July 2012 but two weeks later she was in hospital fighting for her life and has been told she can never carry again. Treasure the memories Emma and I hope you can find some way of celebrating the babywearing part of your life.

I wanted to write a follow up to my earlier post on ring slings and this one is focussing on the actual rings themselves. I have had a beautiful cotton ring sling in my demo box for several months. It had a gathered shoulder and on occasions I have used it to carry Mr Grumpy Isaac. I have really like it as it was a) pretty and b) spread nicely over my back. It was a cheaper sling but it has worked well for demoing. However, it did have one problem : welded rings. Welded rings weaken the integrity of slings because the join introduces an area of weakness. It is one of the reasons I hadn't hired it out as part of the library.

The ring slings I have in library stock have solid, continuous aluminium rings, specifically designed for use in slings. There are also slings made using nylon rings too, these are ok although slightly harder to adjust. The fact they are a solid continuous loop means there is no area of weakness. The importance of using solid rings was highlighted to me this morning. While demoing how to tighten a ring sling, the rings snapped at the join. I am so glad that I was only using a demo doll and it a real baby. I dread to think what could have happened if it had been a real baby. I am hoping this sling can be rescued by stitching in a set of new rings.

The safety of yor baby is paramount. Do not cut corners by choosing slings made with inferior materials just because they are cheaper. Slings should never be made using craft rings, welded rings etc.You can buy sample packs of aluminum and nylon rings from www.slingrings.com. Although coming direct from the states they arrive very quickly and have been designed for this purpose.